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The audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left the country, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the ground segment, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and American Role

He told media the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.